C. Leib, chief burgess of the borough of Ashland, and Mr. A. P. Spinney, of the same place, who are reliable men, and inquired particularly as to the state of the public feeling in the county of Schuylkill and in the district. Captain Bowen informed me that the Irish throughout the country are disposed to give trouble, and are only restrained from a general outbreak by the presence of the military. In Ashland Township the Irish have broken into houses, destroyed furniture, insulted women, beaten wounded soldiers, and committed other outrages. A few evenings since they turned out in a body and paraded the streets, breaking the windows and doors of the houses. Mr. Green, superintendent of the shops at Ashland, had his house broken into and furniture destroyed. At Mahanoy City the rioters entered a house last week and wounded a man by a pistol shot, without the least provocation, insulted an old lady and her daughter, and beat a wounded soldier severely. There is also a go deal of trouble at Heckscherville. Meetings have been broken up, the election interfered with, and several families driven out of the place. Three Scotchmen came into Pottsville the day I left who have been driven from their homes by the rioters. A large number of the persons who commit these outrages ar e men who have been drafted and who have not reported, joined whit laborers at the mines. It is very difficult to catch them, as on the first appearance of the troops they flee to the hills. the cavalry at Pottsville are out in detachments of six and eight almost every night, and have, so far as I am informed by the provost-marsha, been quite successful in arresting deserters. They are fired upon quite often by parties of men who secrete themselves near the roadside or among the rocks on the sides of the hills. The feeling against the Government is growing stronger as the time for the election approaches, and the leading men of the district apprehend trouble unless there is a small military force stationed in the worst localities until the election is over. Several gentlemen called to see me, during my stay, form the different townships, and Captain Leib and Mr. Spinnney informed me that he people of Ashland, had erected quarters sufficient to accommodate a small detachment of troops, in hopes that some may be sent there. While it is no doubt true that the law-abiding people in that region are to some extent, perhaps unnecessarily, frightened, I am still of the opinion that there is some foundation for their fears, as the men who have given me information are known to be reliable citizens and have been themselves witnesses of the outrages. They informed me that within the last three weeks seven or eight persons have been killed, or died of their wounds, in the county. These rioters, to a very considerable extent, control the localities where they reside and dictate terms to the better classes.

I understand that there is a probability that, as the price of coal has fallen, the coal operators will attempt a reduction of wages; and if so, there will fresh cause of trouble. The worst localities in Schulylkill County are Mahanoy, Cass, Ashland, Reilly, Rush, and New Castle Townships. A good many deserters are scattered throughout these districts. It is estimated that in the county there are between 400 and 500 deserters and drafted meant who have not reported. In order to arrest these men, cavalry are necessary, as, if they are taken at all, it must be done in the night, and the detachments ordered out for that purpose have to go and come under cover of darkness in orders to escape observation. It is, in my opinion, necessary that at least twenty cavalry should remain in Pottsville. Infantry cannot move with rapidity enough to do much service in following these deserters among the mountains, but can be of valuable service if scattered in small detach-

31 R R-VOL XLIII, PT II